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PiliPinas Debate 2016 Volume IV, No. 218 website: www.mindanaodailynews.com
By GERRY LEE GORIT Correspondent with MARK FRANCISCO Staff member
CAGAYAN de Oro City-Commission on Elections (Comelec) Spokesperson James Jimenez yesterday confirmed that all the five presidential candidates will attend the presidential debate today (February 21) at the Capitol University (CU) here. Jimenez, who arrived in the city to oversee the debate, said all the security arrangements are in place. “Its all system go,” he told Magnum radio in an interview. Platoons of policemen and soldiers from the 4th Infantr y Division were deployed near the school campus to secure the presidential candidates attending the first batch of presidential debates. According to Jimenez all the five candidates––Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Grace Poe, Sen. Miriam Santiago, former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte––have confirmed their attendance. According to Cagayan de Oro City Police Office (Cocpo) director Senior Supt. Faro Antonio Olaguera, six police platoons will be augmented by the Regional Public Safety Battalion, the Bukidnon Provincial Police Office safety battalion, a Philippine Army platoon and its Explosives and Ordnance and canine units, and a Cocpo civil See DEBATE, page A11
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• Comelec: All presidentiables confirmed attendance in Cagayan de Oro debate • Cagayan de Oro press to presidential debate organizers: “Thanks, but no thanks”
BINAY
DUTERTE
ROXAS
POE
SANTIAGO
Higher economic growth As far as the vice president is concerned, Gary Teves, former Finance secretary and current UNA treasurer, said Jejomar Binay wants to
continue higher economic growth by investing more in infrastructure and ensuring that action is taking place quicker. “We first have to gen-
erate more resources externally by inviting foreign investors and making sure that environment is really conducive to foreign investments,” said Teves.
“We were amending economic provisions of the Constitution to allow foreign investors to invest in areas that have been disallowed
Fight vs. crime and corruption What are the top priorities of Rodrigo Duterte’s platform of government: First: “A 24/7 fight against crime and corruption, which is the core of
Mayor Duterte’s and Senator’s Cayetano’s campaign. Second , to promote the development of our economy by tying this up with our advocacy on federalism, which is re-
gional development,” said Duterte’s spokesman Peter Laviña. “The last is we should have equality before the law and give equal opportunities for everyone.”
Duterte presents programs for SMEs, agriculture He added that Duterte wants to push for the proper implementation of laws.
For administration bet Manuel "Mar" Roxas II, the priority is to continue the "Daang Matuwid." Akbayan party-list Rep. Barry Guiterrez, spokesman of the Daang Matuwid Coalition, said it is the principle that underlies
Roxas' entire platform. "Anybody can talk about what they will do. But at the end of the day, who can you really trust to implement what they will do. Over the past five and a half years, that's what we think has been the biggest
achievement of the Aquino administration — it has restored trust in the government," said Guiterrez. "More than anything else, we all have our programs, we all have our plans, but it is a question ultimately of the integrity
of the candidate, trusting the candidate that when he or she assumes office, he or she will not betray the trust of the people." Guiterrez, however, said that the heart of Roxas' campaign is banked on
Presidential candidate Sen. Grace Poe is running on a platform of “putting heart in governance” or bringing back the government closer to the people. “True kailangan ng track record, true kailangan ng
galing. Pero she’s now pairing it up with puso, heart in governance. We need a government that empathizes with its people, that sympathizes and feels what the people are feeling,” said Valenzuela City Mayor Rex
Gatchalian, spokesperson of Poe. Gatchalian added Poe also has plans on achieving inclusive growth, improving competitiveness, and has constantly pushed for the fight against drugs.
“Our economy has expanded rapidly, but it’s now time to give that trickledown effect a bigger push. In terms of education, she’s been batting for in-school feeding programs or free
Sen. Miriam Santiago has bared some of her priorities which include job creation, poverty reduction, electoral and political reforms, and fighting corruption. She is also pushing for
the proper enforcement of laws while recognizing due process. Miriam Defensor Santiago is politician, professor, and public servant who is most notable for being the very first Filipino to win a seat as a judge at
the International Criminal Court. In her more than twenty years of political career, Miriam has proven herself to be an honest, efficient, and excellent public servant, which is why the Filipino people
love her. A stalwart of justice and truth, Miriam has always fought to ensure that these two virtues prevail in the Philippine political arena in every session she is in;
See BINAY, page A11
See duterte, page A11
See roxas, page A11
See poe, page A11
See santiago, page A11
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Pinoys warned on ‘Ponzi scheme’ By Antonio L. Colina IV of MindaNews
D
AVAO City-Filipinos have been warned again to be cautious about handing their money to companies who present themselves as authorized sellers of investment products with the proliferation of Ponzi investment scheme in the country.
During Tuesday’s press conference at the Seda Abreeza Hotel, Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. (SLAMCI) president Valerie Pama said that there have been various investors fooled by high investment returns of Ponzi scheme. “If the investment returns are too good to be true, then it could be a
scam,” she said. According to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), among the features of the Ponzi investment scheme include no SEC registration, offers or guarantees a huge profit in period, utilizes a binary network to earn commissions, no paper trail, promises, little or no financial risk, and provisions for a lock-up period where an investor cannot touch the investment. “It also assures pay-off of investments in a short time, uses high pressure methods to convince investors to reinvest their earnings, unknown principal share office, address, founders, directors or officers, and orientation seminars are conducted informally,” it added. Pama added that it also pays for investors to study the track record of the company in the industry.
She admitted that some of those investors who fell victim to scams have become cautious even with the legitimate institutions that are offering investment products that are registered with SEC. She said investments are even being sold on Facebook, and some have invested without doing a research if the one selling has already flown out of the country. SEC-Davao extension office head Javey Paul D. Francisco added that investment companies would be required to have a minimum paid-up capital of P50 million plus their products must have a clearance while the individual salesmen must secure a license. He revealed that five more companies with similar investment scheme as the Jacama Sales and Marketing that was closed down last month by Davao City’s Busi-
ness Bureau for violation of the Local Revenue Code of 2005 are operating here. “We received raw information but we have to validate. If the information is accurate, we have to get testimony… whether from us, or from the public that this is how they operate,” he said The Jacama was reportedly offering a cash back guarantee sales program to investors as the main product, although its permit with the city only granted them to operate as a retailer of general merchandise. Francisco added that the company had drawn 15,000 to 20,000 investors before it was stopped by the city. The firm’s business registration was also with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) since it was a single proprietorship. “Education is always the best tool so you cannot be susceptible to scams,”
Pama said. She encouraged investors to invest in mutual funds, wherein funds from different investors are pooled together and then invested in the stock market by a fund manager. The SLAMCI, for instance, offers mutual funds such as money market funds, bond funds, balanced funds, and stock funds/equity funds that investors can choose from. The money market funds invest purely in short-term (one year or less) debt instruments; bond funds invest in long-term debt instruments of governments or corporations; balanced funds invest both in shares of stock and debt instruments; and stock funds/ equity funds invest primarily in shares of stock. The firm recently launched the Sun Life Prosperity Card, the firstof-its-kind in the market
that can be given as gift worth P5,000, which “may be invested in any of the peso-denominated mutual funds managed by SLAMCI under its Sun Life Prosperity Funds.” She said that there are risks in investing in mutual funds but are taken out if investors would go for longterm investments. “Investments in mutual funds are not guaranteed. Banks are guaranteed but not enough to beat inflation. That’s why, we are encouraging the public to invest and demystify it. That’s the only way you can beat inflation,” she said. Maria Charina M. Fuentes, head of Strategic Development and Trainings of SLAMCI, said that saving in the bank would not beat inflation. “Money is losing its value when you save in banks,” she said. Depending on the growth of the economy, when investors invest in the mutual funds, “it appreciates or grows over time”. Of the 48 branches nationwide, two are in Davao City, one in Cagayan de Oro City, and one in General Santos City. Maria Goretti Jimenez, head for agency sales for Mutual Funds, said that SLAMCI registered last year P50 billion assets under management, 2 percent of which is Mindanao’s contribution.
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Greetings & Congratulations to the Participants and Organizers of the 1st Presidential Debate today Feb. 21, 2016 at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City
WELCOME! Vice President
JEJOMAR BINAY
From:
GOV. BAMBI EMANO and the Province of Misamis Oriental
A4 Opinion
Mindanao Daily News, Sunday, February 21, 2016
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EDITORIAL
ALLAN M. MEDIANTE Editor-in-Chief
ruel pelone Managing Editor
CRIS DIAZ Executive Editor
CHENG ORDOÑEZ Associate Editor
URIEL C. QUILINGUING Contributing Editor
Poverty and the dangers of our times
THE Filipino generation circa, 1990 until at present, is living in a fragile environment. We ponder deeply on the changes of the values and characteristics of the country’s younger generation with an inescapable comparison with that of the generation of the 80s and under. Today, we find it difficult to assess the psychological composition of the new generation. We often equate the psycho social values of the young on the gravity of the problems that confront the country’s socioeconomic and political values today. We also feel that the life span of the new generation is getting shorter by the day. What with the heavily laden preservatives that adulterate the daily food intake of the children today, one could only surmise the irreversible accumulation of toxic elements in the body. Sometimes, we thought the new generation is more intelligent and their minds are better equipped with the innovative-tech. However, we also have the reservation that the state-of-the-art
The CYNOSURE
Cris Diaz
technology have already enslaved the spirit of our young ones. Matter of fact, it was the aberration of the time honored values of our forebears 50 years ago that has also laid the dangerous curtains of our times. Today, the young generation has lost the respect of the time honored values of reverence. Gone are the days when a young boy or girl would greet anyone along the street, especially at night. The habitual “good evening” greetings, which symbolized respect among the young and old in the past has been stricken from the
Arjay Felicilda Assistant Editor
09186935122/09354653451 digos city, dvo sur & kidapawan - romeo d. sanchez davao city - flaviano mahinay davao city - rene s. arias (Photo Journalist,) mati, davao - ronald “sanchez” sicad - 0936-704-2580 comval province - mike sumapig lupogan - 0926-182-3005 Davsur, davao occ., gensan and saranggani province: maria fe “marfe”completo - 0916-186-5631/0943-084-6891 dave e. paclipan - 0935-950-1589 butuan - PAT SAMONTE-0912-8091093 san frans - CRIS PANGANIBAN-09277974193 San Francisco - deding PANGANBAN-0927-7974193 Pagadian City - GRACE FRANCISCO
Member: ORO CHAMBER Philippine Press Institute
T h e gove r n m e nt i s seemed helpless in resolving the social ills that have eaten the moral fiber of the society. What is happening to the values of the young Filipinos today? There are many an arguments and prepositions when this question is brought to the fore. One answer, however, is appropriate and impeccable – it is poverty that drives all the social ills that has nurtured the minds of today’s generation. When in politically and economically stable countries, killing a person comes as shocking event, the commission of murder, rape, and robbery in an impoverished nation is as common as drinking water. In other words, poverty breeds all kinds of social ills that anyone can imagine. Thus, the social ills in a poor country mold and harden the minds of the young into forgetting the moral values and respect for human lives. No wonder, the country has lost its meaningful social values. Send comments/ reactions: crisguardian@ yahoo.com.
Intriguing media stories
By Patricio P. Diaz
GENERAL Santos City––Two media articles, a news report and an opinion article – both published online February 15 – intrigue. In the first, appearing in MindaNews and Rappler.com, Cagayan de Oro Press Club GILBERT Y. CHAO gerry lee gorit (COPPI) denounces Manila media for discrimination; Motoring Editor Photo Journalist the second, in The Manila Times, asks: “Why does Poe felix santillan ROEL CATOTO refuse to take a DNA test with Marcos Jr.?” EDSEL BANTOL Provincial Editor-Surigao Manila media discriminating Layout Artists While, as it is, the news report is a controversy, the discrimination complained of is not incidental. The PAT SAMONTE CHRIS PANGANIBAN “condescension” (meaning, “assumed air of superiority”) Regional Editors-Caraga the COPPI condemned in its “Statement of Indignation” JOE PALABAO MARLON GAYOG (published in full by MindaNews, February 16) is a feeling Rene Michael BaÑos Regional Editor-Davao of offense on the part of local media (Read: Mindanao) Regional Editors-Northmin due to what they see from experience as superior attitude AL JACINTO JOE FELICILDA of Manila-based media. The intriguing part is why this Regional Editor-WestMin Editorial Consultant feeling continues to fester rather than heal. In a guideline branded as “A clear case of discrimiATTY. MARIO T. JUNI nation towards the province-based media”, the ManilaNOTARY PUBLIC- JUNI LAW OFFICE based organizers limited the participation of the local CELL NO: 09352379999/ (088) 8573595 press in the coverage of the first Presidential Debate in CRUZ TAAL ST., CAG. DE ORO CITY Cagayan de Oro City on February 21 which is organized Legal Counsel --------------------------------------------------------------by GMA-7 and the Philippine Daily Inquirer with the bureau and mktg staff Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster ng Pilipinas (KBP) as candy macabale - 09161326483 debate coordinator. RIZA O. ARES - 0915-9753-277/0926-2242-653 MISOR - LOLONG NABONG - 0906-875-8650 The Presidential Debate is a joint endeavor of the GINGOOG CITY-MANNY ANSIHAGAN-0936-287-7788 Commission on Elections and media companies covNorth Buk. - DAHLIA S. BENEMERITO-0936-303-0410 ered by a memorandum of agreement (MOA). Other VALENCIA CITY - PHILIP PHIL CALUMBA-0905-652-5407 MARAMAG - TITA FINA CUALES - 0926-336-1585 MOA signatories that will take turn organizing the next quezon, buk. - ROSE GENON debates are ABS-CBN and Manila Bulletin as partners; Iligan City - JEFFREY OPONDA-0936-1174378 bobby mag usara-tangub city CNN Philippines, Business Mirror and Rappler; and OROQUIETA CITY - PJ TREMEDAL-0919-3452375 TV5 and the Philippine Star. ARMM - Sony Sudaria-0947-4810371 The local media are limited to ten participants: “Only cotabato - ANALISA ESPAÑOLA-0916-9351714 davao - MARLON GAYOG-09276314995 five slots will be allotted for Cagayan de Oro-based davao - tom a. caballero-09105783126 media – five for editors / publishers as audience in the davao - tomas canoy avancena jr.-09177017010 venue that can accommodate only 500; and only five davao del norte - sarah castor - 09263988293 davao occidental - alma ORTIZ - 09058532215 newspaper reporters will be allowed access to the event’s davao city/island samal - jessie palabao media center – a separate 5,000-seat venue – where a -0935-874-9825/ -0946-242-6672 video monitor will broadcast feeds of the debate.” davao comval area - abner yamson nave MARK FRANCISCO Lifestyle Editor
conduct of the new generation. On the contrary, a stranger – in dire need of help or not - is now a threat. Everybody is now trekking on dangerous alley, whether in the concrete jungles of the urban centers or in the lush rainforest of the rural villages – no one is safe anymore. For instance, a grandmother was killed while sending her young grandchild to a school one morning. What could be the motive in the killing of the old, helpless woman? Who could have done the act of cowardice, but pervert killers? A student is innocently walking on the street while answering an urgent call from the parent when held up by knifewielding kids. An unidentified armed suspect shot dead a father in the presence of a young boy on their way to school. It seems that robbery, shooting, and summary execution has become the call of today’s generation. Drug lords and gambling lords seemed to have now rooted deep in the country.
Meaning, minus the number of non-media persons, the local media will most probably be outnumbered at least 400-to-5 by visiting media participants. We don’t know the format of the debate and how the audience can participate. If the audience of 500 can propose issues, the chances of COPPI representatives to present issues of local and Mindanao concern will be limited to that ratio. The chances can increase depending on how many from media in other parts of Mindanao will be allowed. What could have been an affront – adding more insult to injury – COPPI is not allowed to choose the participating editors/publishers and reporters. The organizers through KBP asked the Philippine Press Institute “to choose who to shortlist so as to ensure that ‘only legit local press’ [members] are allowed to cover the event.” COPPI rebutted: “But who would know better than the press community of the host city?” (Bold text ours). The above and the following quotes from its Statement of Indignation reflect the COPPI mood: “There have been many instances in the past when Manila-based media organizations have condescended on the provincial press. The Presidential Debate in the city is no (exception).” “Manila-based media entities should realize that they do not have the monopoly of serving public interest. The people’s right to know must weigh far heavier that any media entity’s exclusive rights to an event that is clearly of national interest. We are talking about the next possible President of the Republic. We are all stakeholders.” “Stop this discriminatory and condescending attitude towards the local press community.” The COPCI threatened to boycott the event if Manilabased organizers would not lift the “exclusive clause” and allow the full coverage for the local media. In a report from a national paper, presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte also threatened to boycott the debate should the organizers not reconsider. A history of resentment Condescension, the mirror of discrimination, has long been seen and felt by local or Mindanao
“
See stories, page A11
Manila-based media entities should realize that they do not have the monopoly of serving public interest.”
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Gov’t forces commit to secure power grids on ‘Election Days’ By CRIS DIAZ Executive Editor
CAGAYAN de Oro City–– The military and the police have assured stakeholders of full support to ensure protection of the power grids in Mindanao during the May 9 elections. The government forces of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have issued the assurance at the culmination of the consultative meeting of power stakeholders here Wednesday. Twelve suspects in the bombings of the steel transmission towers in Lanao Del Sur and Lanao Del Norte have also been charged in court for the destruction of government and private properties. Beth Ladaga, head of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) Corporate Communications, said that other government line agencies have also vowed to assist in the clearing of trees that might obstruct the power lines. She said that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) would conduct pruning of the trees if the NGCP or the local government unit (LGU) makes a formal request. The House of Repre-
sentative, Committee on Energy, has called for the consultative meeting to tackle House Resolution No. 2603, which calls for the mobilization of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in order to secure the NGCP transmission towers. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Party List Rep. Maximo Rodriguez, of Abante Mindanao, authored House Resolution No. 2603 so that measures could be taken in order that no power outage would occur on and after the Election Day in May this year. The resolution urged the military and the police to arrest and charged in court the suspects in the bombing of the NGCP transmission towers, particularly in Lanao Del Sur. The NGCP has reported that a total of 18 transmission towers has been bombed – some were damaged, others toppled – in Mindanao since 2015 and early January this year. The NGCP has complained that the owners of the lots where the transmission towers are located refused entry to maintenance engineers and want compensation of for the passage. Rodriguez said that the need to secure the transmission towers is necessary in
Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez, of Cagayan De Oro, 2nd from left, moves for the approval of his House Bill 6384, which changes the term of office of barangay officials to a maximum of 3 consecutive terms of 5 years each. The bill was subsequently approved by the Committee on Local Government. KD
order to ensure the integrity of the national and local elections on May 9. He said that he and Party List Rep. Maxi Rodriguez also filed House Bill No. 6450 prohibiting the planting of plants, trees, and the construction of any structure under or within the right of way clearance of all transmission lines with corresponding penalties for violators. Meanwhile, Rodriguez recently filed a bill in Congress prohibiting the planting of plants and trees and the construction of any structure under or within the right of way clearance of all power transmission lines. He noted that incidents of power outages are mostly due to obstructions of power
lines consisting of high and fast-growing trees and other structures constructed under or near the power transmission lines. “Power interruptions have adversely affected the government’s efforts toward attaining sustainable economic development and have undermined the people’s faith in the government and the latter’s ability to pursue its economic development programs,” he said.
Rodriguez added that the recurrence of obstructions yearly along the power transmission lines is exacting tremendous amount in the government’s coffers in terms of payments of damages caused on improvements during clearing operations. The bill prohibits the planting or construction of any structure above three meters height from the surface of the ground. It also authorizes the
National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP), which owns the towers, to prune any hazardous improvements that are found within the clearance as stipulated in the bill if it becomes law. A fine of P100,000 awaits any individual or entity which caused the planting of trees or construction of structures in the transmission lines vicinity. With a report from Mark Francisco, staff member
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Fire victims need help, says Oro dad COUNCILOR Ramon Tabor, chair of the City Council committee on police, fire and public safety, is calling on the public to extend assistance to the families affected by fire that occurred last Sunday (February 14, 2016) at Pinikitan in Barangay Camaman-an, Cagayan de Oro City. This was the appeal of the councilor in his special report during the regular session Monday. Tabor said the fire gutted down around 278 houses, affecting 478 families and more than 1,000 individuals. “It pains us to feel the sentiments of those victims of the fire,” he stressed. Tabor proposed a resolution declaring portion of Barangay Camaman-an under the state of calamity. He said the city must also provide its share under its five-percent Calamity Fund. “Five-percent of the Calamity fund can be immediately disbursed… where existing ordinance to this effect after evaluation, after determining total damages whether totally burned,” Tabor stressed.
“I appeal to the people of Cagayan de Oro to at least share whatever they have in excess old or new clothes, beddings, utensils, cash or whatever they can share to families that have suffered the sad plight of conflagration,” he stressed. The councilor thanked and acknowledged the donors who already gave their donations to the families living in the area. LEGISLATIONS As an offshoot of the report, the City Council adopted Resolution No. 12282, declaring a portion of Sitio Pinikitan, Barangay Camaman-an, under the state of calamity due to the conflagration that occurred on February 14, 2016, and for this purpose, authorizing the barangay to utilize its Barangay Risk
Reduction Fund. Legislators also adopted Resolution No. 12286-2016, requesting Mayor Oscar Moreno, through the City Social Welfare and Development Department, to expedite the submission of the list of the two fire incidents in Gusa and the recent fire incident at Sitio Pinikitan so that the City Council can enact the necessary ordinances appropriating funds for financial assistance to the fire victims. The report of Tabor was also referred to the committees on urban poor and on social services chaired by Councilors Leon Gan and Enrico Salcedo, respectively, to discuss the possibility of relocating the fire victims to any of the city’s relocation sites if they are qualified. (JBD)
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Adoption must be legalized now, DSWD tells adoptive parents mindanaodailynews@gmail.com
ZAMBOANGA City––Adoptive families who still have to legalize their adoption of children must do it the soonest possible time, said the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) here. “They must do it now, for the benefit of the child,” Social Welfare Officer Josefina Reyes urged. She said legal adoption will afford the child all the benefits under the law. Misconceptions According to Reyes, “many are still unaware of the legal process of adoption.” She explained that
many adoptive parents still think that the child is already theirs when they take them upon birth. Some also think that “simulated births,” that is naming the child with the adoptive families’ surnames will make it legal. “These are wrong and must be corrected,” Reyes said. She explained that if an adoption is not legal, issues may arise. “There may be cases when the biological parent will seek the child’s return, and the adoptive parents will have no choice but to give up the child. This is very traumatic.”
“Once a parent gives up a child for adoption, she voids her rights as a parent,” Reyes emphasized. “So once the child has been legally adopted, there is no chance for the biological parent to get back the child.” “You can say that the child is really yours,” she said. However, prospective adoptive parents must still undergo assessment by a social worker before being granted custody of the child. “The prospective parents must be physically, financially, emotionally and spiritually capable to raise the child,” Reyes
explained. Even after the court proceedings, social workers will still continuously visit the family to assess the situation and provide the necessary guidance and counseling. Kids need parents Myla Villaverde, a DSWD social worker said that currently, they have 47 abandoned children under their care at the Reception and Study Center for Children (RSCC) in barangay Talon-Talon. “Only 18 of them are up for adoption, since the rest have only been staying with us temporarily due to some circumstances.”
The children in the center come from different towns in the region who were found to be abandoned by parents and relatives. The DSWD is inviting capable and responsible families to be prospective families. “We really want the children to have a family to call their own,” said Reyes. She advised those who need more information to visit them at the DSWD regional office in Gen. Vicente Alvarez Street fronting the Tennis Court, beside the Land Transportation Office here. (ALT/ FDM/PIA9-Zamboanga City)
Dipolog is ZamPen’s most competitive city DIPOLO G City––Who would think that this small city would emerge as the most competitive component city in Zamboanga Peninsula region? Official results of the 2015 Cities and Municipalities Competitive Index (CMCI) showed that Dipolog City had bested the other two component cities in the region – Dapitan in Zamboanga del Norte and Pagadian in Zamboanga del Sur - based on the ranking made by the National
Competitiveness Council (NCC). Dipolog got high scores in transparency, investment promotion, compliance with national directives, infrastructure investment, distance to port, and availability of utilities. Core indexes All the cities and municipalities in the country have been rated on the three core indexes: Economic Dynamism, Government Efficiency and Infrastructure. The city received a very
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high rating in investment promotion as new investors have come to put up their businesses here, offering employment opportunities to the locals. Since the city government had enrolled in the Performance Governance System (PGS) - a management tool for local governments, civil society, and the private sector to work together on improving governance, service delivery, and community living standards – all its programs and
services have remarkably improved, making the city not only responsive to the needs of the investors but also to the other sectors in the community. In fact, the city is a recipient of various recognitions from government line agencies such as the Department of Health’s (DOH) “Red Orchid” award for its antismoking campaign and the “Child-Friendly City” award from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).
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to cater to the sick not only from the city but those coming from nearby towns as well. PGS proficient Dipolog was conferred the Proficiency Stage Medallion of the PGS during the Public Governance Forum held at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City on May 4, 2015. In receiving the award, Mayor Uy declared: “We are happy that our efforts to transform our city through good governance is gaining grounds and is now being recognized. We will continue to push forward until we fully realize our dream and vision for Dipolog.” (FPG/PIA9)
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Transparency in running the affairs of the city government has been ubiquitous in all units with their “balanced scorecard” as required for the PGS. Support facilities Mayor Evelyn T. Uy sees to it that everything is in place to readily attend to the needs of all sectors in the society. To assist the ambulant vendors, the city government has allowed them to sell their products at the City Boulevard where people gather before sunset to stroll, jog or savor fresh air from the sea. Dipolog has also built its own hospital, which is named after former President Corazon C. Aquino,
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In Focus A7
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Senatoriable Francis Tolentino earns admiration of Kagay-anons CAGAYAN de Oro City-Former MMDA chairman Francis Tolentino who is an independent candidate for senator in the 2016 elections, breezed into the Cogon market yesterday and earned the admiration of market vendors and local folks who ate with him in one of the food stalls inside the meat market here. “Tolentino showed he is comfortable with the masa that he even ate with them,” a vendor commented. In an earlier interview with Mindanao Daily News Editor in Chief Allan Mediante, Tolentino said that once he becomes a senator, his top agenda in the senate would be economic reforms. He is suggesting that to make the Philippines a very strong economy in Asia, there should be changes in the constitutional provisions on economy. “I would advocate a charter-change only to update our laws on economy. For example, it is very important to allow more foreign investors to come into our country and pour-in more investment capital and establish more businesses because this would translate into more
jobs for our kababayans, more livelihood opportunities, and of course a stronger economy,” Tolentino commented. When asked if he would favor the revival of BBL in the next administration, Tolentino said: “I would support any measure if it would end violence and war in Mindanao, and bring peace and goodwill among our people.” His platform includes greater empowerment of local government units and
the establishment of regional clusters for increased economic benefits at the grassroots. Who Is Francis Tolentino Francis Tolentino was born in Guinobatan, Albay. His parents, Isaac and Elena Tolentino, helped develop Tagaytay City into the destination we know today. Isaac Tolentino was appointed Mayor of Tagaytay in 1954 at a time when the town was still struggling to become a city. He focused on increas-
Greetings & Congratulations to the Participants and Organizers of the 1st Presidential Debate today Feb. 21, 2016 at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City
WELCOME!
Mayor RODRIGO DUTERTE
From:
NESTOR “TATA” ABEJUELA PDP-Laban City Councilor Candidate in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental and the people of El Salvador!
ing the city's potential in tourism and in time was able to establish Tagaytay City as one of the most famous tourist spots in the Philippines. Francis is the eldest of three children, together with his brother Abraham and sister Analyn. Being born and raised in a political family, it was no surprise that both Francis and Abraham followed in their father's footsteps to continue the family legacy. As a child, Francis already knew the importance
of education. He was always eager to learn, always open to knowing the world around him. After taking up elementary in Tagaytay City and for some time in Pasay and Mandaluyong City, he pursued his secondary education in Lourdes School of Mandaluyong. It was during his grade school days when he learned the importance of discipline during his one year stay at the Far East Military Academy. At such a young age, Francis experienced
what it was like to study in an environment similar to the Philippine Military Academy. Tolentino then earned his Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 1980 from the Ateneo de Manila University and his Bachelor of Laws in 1984 from the Ateneo de Manila University Law School. He later earned a Master of Laws from the University of Law with Public International Law as his specialization. He also earned a Masters Degree in National Security Administration from the National Defense College of the Philippines, and a Graduate Diploma in Public Administration from the Robert F. Wagner Graduate School of Public Service, New York University. He is currently a candidate for Doctor of Judicial Science (International Law) in Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Louisiana. After passing the 1984 Philippine Bar Exams and the 1991 New York State Bar Exams, Tolentino worked for the Fornier and Defensor Law Offices, Padilla Law Offices (of the See TOLENTINO, page A10
Greetings & Congratulations to the Participants and Organizers of the 1st Presidential Debate today Feb. 21, 2016 at Capitol University, Cagayan de Oro City
WELCOME!
Mayor RODRIGO DUTERTE
From:
Dr. MANNY JAUDIAN PDP-Laban Congressional Candidate in the Island Province of Camiguin
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See 12 February 21,story 2016on Page A8
Councilor defends self on Davao’s ‘green space’ issue
“
Tax incentives for investors with green initiatives, or ‘green compliant,’ could be explored, for instance. There will not be a lack of good suggestions from various sectors. A collective dream for a Davao City Green Code or Green Ordinance is also possible.”
By Antonio L. Colina IV of MindaNews
DAVAO City––Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta was at odds with other councilors and Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte, two days after she was hit for opposing the removal of the 10-percent green space provision in the 2013 Comprehensive LandUse Plan (CLUP) and for allegedly fueling the outcry of the environmentalists even though the issue is already at the City Mayor level whether to veto the amended ordinance. The provision in the CLUP requires developers to allot 10 percent of green space of the total land area. “I do not deserve the treatment that I got from my colleagues. Shabby, unfair, and uncalled for, it was. It is not necessary for everybody to like me, but my position as an elected representative of the people deserves respect,” Acosta said in statement issued on Tuesday. Based on reports on Wednesday, the vice mayor was quoted as saying that he had requested for a meeting with Acosta who was allegedly still fueling the issue over the recent move of the City Council that earned the ire of local environmentalists. On the issue that she demanded for deferment, Acosta said that councilors present during the third
and final reading during the January 19 session arrived “at decisions through consensus” to defer the item. “There were several of us, even those who voted yes to the amendment, who were huddled together on recess because there were environmental groups present in the gallery. It is a fact that their views and voices were not heard in this concern,” she said. She recalled that there were three options considered by the plenary. “Options discussed were, a. for a representative of the group to be given a chance to speak before the council; b. to defer the item and have a meeting with the environmental groups; c. to vote on third and final reading that day. These options were discussed freely and intelligently in that huddle. The final consensus was to defer the item,” she said. After they were informed of the item’s deferment, she said the environmental groups then left the plenary. “At some point I also went out to go to my office to go to the restroom. When I got back to the session hall, I was surprised that the item was being voted upon already on third and final reading, which was different from the consensus earlier,” she added. Duterte said why would Acosta bring up the issue during third and final reading when she could have
done that earlier on the second reading. Not consulted Acosta countered by saying that she was not a member of the Committee of Rules, Privileges, and Ordinances, chaired by Councilor Bernard Alag, and the Committee on Housing, under Councilor Victorio U. Advincula, that handled the item and that she only knew that the environmentalists were not consulted on the issue after the second reading. “I did not know that the views and voices of environmental groups were not heard at all the whole time. I did not know that they were not given the chance to participate in the legislative process. I was as surprised as they were,” she said. Mylai Santos, director of Ecoteneo Division of the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), added that the council did not consult the Local Zoning Review Committee when it amended CLUP. She added that the omission of the 10-percent green space provision threatens the wildlife and health of the Dabawenyos as this serves as a carbon sink. Santos said the councilors’ argument that the 10-percent green space would incur cost on the investors does not hold water and asked Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to veto
the amended CLUP. The vice mayor said it was stated in the revised CLUP that the green space provision was not deleted but rather incorporated only in the 30-percent open space. Acosta objected to such move because she does not want the green space to be incorporated in the 30-percent open space, as this area is allotted for “roads, drainage, water and energy facilities, community facilities, amenities that may have been promised by the developer like club house or multipurpose hall, gym, basketball court, parks, playground.” “In the 30-percent open space, a large part of it is already eaten up by roads and drainage. Only a fraction of it would be left for community facilities for homeowners,” she said. ‘Never been so embarrassed’ Acosta defended herself after she was accused by Duterte of not doing her job. “In all my 50 years on earth, I have never been so embarrassed, and unjustly and unfairly accused. I did not see it coming when I was ‘reprimanded’, so to speak. I could not believe it was actually happening. I was so disillusioned and frustrated with the unworthy conduct. The crassness and absurdity of it all was a shock,” she said. Acosta, who has been a
council member for 13 years from 2001 to 2010 and 2013 until the present, said she is fully aware of the basics of the legislative process. The lady legislator said she has no direct hold of the environmentalists protesting the council’s move. “How could I be accused of ‘starting’ whatever? I have no control over environmental groups or advocates. They are responsible enough, and mature enough, and intelligent enough to think and act on their own. That we happened to have a similar outlook is a fateful coincidence. I just continue on from where I started a long way back. I had no intentions of painting anyone black or white. That is not my handiwork. Sound policy that puts a premium on the public’s well-being is shared by most of us,” she said. VM okays meeting with Fr. Tabora She said the vice mayor himself approved of the meeting with ADDU president Fr. Joel Tabora before he delivered his speech at the plenary session on Tuesday. “For the record, it was the Vice Mayor himself who suggested in his text message to me that Fr. Tabora, and myself along with two other councilors, be the guests of the media hour before session starts. I thanked him for what I thought was a kind gesture. It was a good sign, I thought then,” she said. Fr. Tabora delivered
his speech before the City Council during the privilege hour to reiterate his stand on the removal of the 10-percent green space. “And then there were colleagues who tried to stop Fr. Tabora from speaking. I am thankful that Councilor Militar supported me in that motion, hence Fr. Tabora was able to speak. I am also thankful to other colleagues who perhaps sympathize with me, but could not express it in public,” she said. “The Council’s House Rules provides for rule eleven: Privilege Hour. It says any member of the council can avail of this privilege. It did not have restrictions on subject matter. Why anybody would want to stop me from availing of the Privilege Hour that would allow me and my guest to speak is questionable. That is my right,” she cited. Acosta reiterated her stance on the omission of the 10-percent green space in the CLUP by saying that she is hopeful that stakeholders could still adopt a win-win option for both the environmentalists and the investors. “Tax incentives for investors with green initiatives, or ‘green compliant’, could be explored, for instance. There will not be a lack of good suggestions from various sectors. A collective dream for a Davao City Green Code or Green Ordinance is also possible,” she said.
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Amid dismay over BBL’s non-enactment:
MILF tells Moro people to ‘let reason prevail over emotion’ By Ryan D. Rosauro of MindaNew
OZAMIZ City––In a strong display of diplomacy and statesmanship, the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) has called for calm and sobriety in Bangsamoro communities amid growing resentment over the failure of Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). “The MILF calls upon the Bangsamoro people and the other people in the area to remain patient. We urge you to become the beacons of hope in the advocacy for peace with justice,” MILF chief Murad Ebrahim said in a statement issued Thursday. “This impasse should not lead anyone of us astray and be swayed by elements unreasonably instigating for radicalism. Let us always make reason and wisdom prevail over emotion,” he added. This is the first time Murad came out with an official statement after the 16th Congress adjourned last Feb. 3 for the election
Tolentino... from page A10
late Justice Teodoro Padilla) and the Freeman Law Office in New York City. He was first appointed to the post of OIC Mayor of Tagaytay City from 1986 to 1987 by former President Corazon Aquino. He ran unopposed in the 1995 elections and served as Mayor of Tagaytay City for nine years from January 1995 to 2004. Aside from being the mayor, he was also active as the President of the League of Cities of the Philippines and as the Executive Vice President of the Union of Local Authorities of the
campaign without putting the BBL to a vote. Congress resumes session on May 23 to June 10 to act as the national board of canvassers for the May 9 presidential and vice presidential elections. Murad said that “as a gesture of good faith and sincerity, the MILF has done its part by faithfully complying with all its obligations and responsibilities under the signed agreements.” He pointed out that the rebel group “has entrusted the passage of the BBL to the government since the process was entirely internal to the latter, and all its concerned structures had the obligation to deliver the law that could have truly implemented the terms of the agreements in letter and spirit.” After enactment and ratification by the affected population, the BBL would have set into motion the major portions of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) which the MILF forged with the government last March 27,
2014 after 17 years of negotiations. Murad said the entire membership of the MILF felt “deep disappointment and grave dismay” over the failure of Congress to pass the BBL. He added that a similar sentiment “is mirrored by the tangible frustration of the great majority of the Bangsamoro people, the peace loving populace not only in Mindanao but also in the entire country, and even those in other nations who have been closely following and keenly observing the unfolding of the more than 17 years of (the) peace process.” But Murad remains hopeful the BBL will still see light and eventually be enacted by Congress. “It is at moments like these that we call upon all our Bangsamoro brethren and all peace loving people to join hands, consolidate and vigorously rally behind the cause to pursue with persistence the passage of the BBL and the full implementation of the CAB, be it
in the present government or the upcoming administration,” he said. He called on those sympathetic to the peacemaking effort in Mindanao “to continue and intensify their efforts in supporting the advancement of the peace process and use their influence to ensure that the next Philippine government will uphold and faithfully implement the CAB in accordance with the agreed roadmap.” He par ticularly addressed the call to the Malaysian government, which is facilitating the political negotiations, the 57-member Organization of Islamic Cooperation, and other countries and international organizations supporting the peace process in Mindanao in various capacities and involvements. Murad gave assurance the MILF “will continue to uphold the peace process and ensure that all the gains will be preserved.” “Towards this end, the MILF will endeavor to sustain the relevant infrastructure of the peace process and
our military forces will, at all times, maintain its defensive posture. It will remain as a revolutionary organization until it officially joins the government in accordance with the agreed road map in the implementation process of the CAB,” he explained. Based on the peace accord, the establishment of the Bangsamoro, through the BBL, would have kicked off the full decommissioning of MILF combatants and their firearms, and its transition from a revolutionary organization to a social movement pursuing political goals through democratic means like elections. Murad said the MILF’s military and political leaders “are tasked to uphold the primary of the peace process while maintaining their vigilance and perseverance as they continue the consolidation and capability building programs of the organization.” In the statement, he enjoined “all officers, commanders and members of the MILF political wing and the Bangsamoro Islamic
Armed Forces (BIAF)” to “strictly follow and abide by the instructions and guidelines of the MILF central committee.” Former government negotiator Camilo Montesa, now country head of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, said he is confident the MILF leadership is capable enough to handle the recent situation facing the peace process and its Moro constituency. “They have acquired sufficient political wisdom from the lessons of history and the experience of the Moro revolution,” Montesa said. The recent impasse with the BBL is not the first that the peace agreement between government and Moro rebels hit a snag. Montesa pointed to three previous instances starting with the neglect of the 1976 Tripoli Agreement with the Moro National Liberation Front; the disregard of the 1996 Final Peace Agreement; and the thrashing of the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain in 2008.
Philippines from 2001-2004. Tolentino also practiced his profession in teaching Legal Management in the Ateneo de Manila University, College of the Holy Spirit, Centro Escolar University and New Era University College of Law. With a long history of politics surrounding his life, Francis did not realize that he was about to experience the biggest challenge in his career as a public servant when in July 27, 2010, President Benigno Aquino III appointed him as the next MMDA Chairman. Francis Tolentino was not a household name for
the Manileños. It was his role as the MMDA Chairman that made him wellknown especially for the people living in the city. The Metro Manila Development Authority is responsible for the following: flood control, traffic and transportation, management, urban renewal, public health, public safety and solid waste management. Among his achievements as the MMDA Chairman includes the first ever online and social media applications of the MMDA like the Traffic Monitoring System app and the MMDA Twitter page. He also re-opened the Pasig River Ferry as an
alternate transport system, implemented the Southwest Integrated Provincial Transport System which consolidates all existing 85 bus terminals, upgraded Metro Manila's flood control system and pumping stations and recently, conducted the first Metro Manila Shake Drill. As chairman of the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF), Tolentino was able to construct a cinema, archive, library and museum located at the MMDA compound in Orense, Makati City. The cinema serves as the new archive center for Filipino films, with a capacity of 100. The goal is
to showcase the local films participating during the film fest and to allow the people to view and support the film for free. For the first time under Tolentino's leadership of the MMFF, he also included categories for student and independent film makers. His biggest achievement to date is the success of the Metro Manila Shake Drill. With over 6.5M participants, 1.5M volunteers and 2.1 billion social media views worldwide who all participated in MMDA's efforts to be prepared for a magnitude 7.2 earthquake. This also highlighted Tolentino's
dynamic leadership as he was able to elicit cooperation and commitment of all of Metro Manila's 17 local government units. With this, Francis Tolentino definitely made a mark in Philippine history as he valued everyone's safety. "Ugaliin po natin ang paghahanda para sa kaligtasan ng mga Pilipino", he said. Tolentino believes that there is a great future waiting ahead for the Philippines. In his last year as the MMDA Chairman, he hopes he has inspired many Filipinos through the work that he has done, and the work that he still has to do.
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Mindanao Daily News, Sunday, February 21, 2016
Binay...
Debate...
or limited — land, public utilities. He will also emphasize on inclusive g row t h , an d prov i d e emphasis on health and education.” Duterte...
disturbance management team who will all receive tactical orders from Cocpo during that day. The RPSB and the Bukidnon safety battalion will consist of more than 30 police officers each. During that crucial time, Cocpo will also assume tactical authority over other support services such as teams manning firetrucks, ambulances and the 58th Infantry Battalion who will secure the route from Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental to the various hotels where the presidential candidates are billeted and finally the route towards Capitol University along Corrales Avenue. Earlier, Comelec and private debate organizer GMA Network had allocated a total of 300 slots equitably distributed to identified societal sectors to gain access inside the debate venue, Capitol University gymnatorium. Each of the 300 individuals had already been given stubs so they could enter the university premises. Olaguera said that police officers will only allow people who have the stubs to come inside the campus gate. All of them will be manually frisked. The debate will start at 5:00 in the afternoon. “The next President of the republic is among the five so we are no taking the security matter lightly,” Olaguera said. Seating at the gym was also configured in such a way that supporters of each presidential candidate are seated apart from each other. This is to prevent a repeat of a 2013 incident at Xavier University gym when a fists brawl erupted between supporters of then reelectionist Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and challenger then-Councilor Ian Mark Nacaya. First series of debates “This is the first of a series of debates. We are inviting the people to watch or listen to the debate,” Comelec Misamis Oriental acting director Joseph Cuevas said over Magnum radio in Cagayan de Oro City. Local journalists led by the Cagayan de Oro Press Club have expressed indignation over the guidelines imposed by organizers of the debate – GMA 7 and Philippine Daily Inquirer – limiting their access to the venue. Nongovernment organizations (NGOs) and politicians have supported the call of the press club with many of them saying they would also not be attending the debate. Reports said GMA 7 is scrambling to persuade the NGOs and politicians to attend. C harl ito Man lupig , chairman emeritus of Balay Mindanaw Foundation, said they received a call from GMA 7 asking them to change their mind not to
from page A1
from page A1
“Kaya yung sinasabi niyang fight against crime, drugs and corruption may pinagmulan yun. Exhibit A ang Davao.”
Roxas... from page A1
"three freedoms." Roxas to generate P100B for barangays, municipalities "First is the freedom of hunger, and that is essentially concerned with job generation particularly in the agriculture sector. He talks about foreign investments in manufacturing and bigger government investments in infrastructure for the agricultural sector," he said.
Poe...
from page A1
lunch box programs for all public school students to combat malnutrition inside the schools,” he said. “She has vowed to declare drugs as a national security threat. And improving competitiveness, the ease of doing business — registering businesses and synchronizing national laws to make sure that it’s conducive for businessmen to set up businesses, especially for our small and medium enterprises.”
Santiago... from page A1
from the time she started working in the public sector, Miriam has exhibited the traits of a true Filipino politician. Throughout her entire career in both the private and public sectors, Miriam has encountered numerous enemies who attempt to bring her down because of her integrity. There have been libelous statements made against her, and even threats on her life, but these things have never kept Miriam from continuously serving her fellow Filipinos. Her boldness and courage to stand up for what she believes is right has become an example not only for her fellow senators, but also for every Filipino that wants to see his or her country prosper. She is the woman senator with the longest term in Philippine history. She has excelled in almost every area of her career since she was a child. She is among the few ones who does not allow corrupt practices in the Senate. She has an extensive private and public career that has always been excellent in rating. She is among the few senators who has written and co-written the most number of bills and acts. She wrote the most number of bills during her first term as a senator. She is outspoken and bold, and always fights for justice and truth.
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attend the debate. Manlupig and Balay Mindanaw earlier issued a statement supporting the position of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club, saying they would not attend the debate and are giving up the 15 slots allotted to them by the organizers. “We hope that you understand that our decision is in solidarity with the local groups who we believe represent the legitimate concerns of communities in Mindanao,” Manlupig wrote. Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd district, Cagayan de Oro) said giving only 25 slots to local journalists is a gross discrimination against the local press community. “All Kagayanons should join hands to protest this arbitrary and unjust treatment of our local media,” Rodriguez said. Earlier, presidential candidate Rodrigo Duterte of Davao City threatened to boycott the debate if local journalists will be discriminated by organizers. Veteran anchors Mike Enriquez and Jessica Soho of GMA7 network will host the presidential debate. In his column on Feb. 16, John Nery of the Philippine Daily Inquirer described the setup of the incoming debate. “A candidate is given 90 seconds to answer a question, the candidate he or she is paired with in that round has 60 seconds to offer a rebuttal, then the first candidate has 30 seconds to issue a counter-rebuttal and close the argument,” Nery said. Nery said the questions to be fielded were derived from three “town hall meetings” conducted by the Inquirer in three different places in Mindanao to get the so-called “Mindanao agenda.” Rodriguez, who attended one of the town hall meetings, said some of the questions they wanted the candidates to answer are about agricultural development, peace process and the Mindanao railway project. Nery also explained the setup of the media center where journalists, accredited by Comelec, will be stationed. “All the presidential candidates have agreed to go to the media center after the debate to meet with the media present there,” he said. COPC to organizers: ‘thanks, but no thanks’ The Cagayan de Oro Press Club (COPC) slammed anew the organizers of the “PiliPinas Debate 2016” despite the increased number of slots for its members in the first round of Presidential Debates on Sunday. In Manila, Rappler filed a lawsuit before the Supreme Court on Friday against Commission on Elections chair Andres Bautista for granting exclusive broadcast rights to media corporations to the detriment of local news organizations.
GMA7, one of the organizers of the presidential debate increased the number of slots — from five to 25, 13 of that for the COPC members — who can get inside the debate venue at the Capitol University in Cagayan de Oro City on Sunday. The club led by its president, Monsignor Elmer Abacahin and Herbie Gomez, raffled the slots to its members who wanted to witness the debate as “studio audience” agreeing not to bring any “covering equipment” like cameras and recorders. Abacahin said the club is “saddened” that the organizers curtailed the rights of local journalists to cover the event “freely and unhampered.” He said many of the local journalists have signified they would cover the debate despite the restrictions because “it is their duty to bring information to their community.” “We maintain and reiterate our stand that there should never be a monopoly in the media coverage of a presidential debate, and that government must ensure that such national event will be equally covered by mass media,” Abacahin said reading the Cagayan de Oro Press Club statement released Friday afternoon. Abacahin thanked the organizers of the debate for increasing the slots for the press club members. “Thanks but no thanks too. We will attend the debates but we are saddened knowing full well our wings are clipped,” Abacahin said. In the statement, the Cagayan de Oro Press Club expressed indignation over the decision of the Comelec to let private interests overshadow what should have been its mandate under the Constitution. “It is clearly a surrender of constitutional mandate to corporate interests. Many of us will try to adapt to this strange environment, observe, and cover the presidential debate the best way we can — while in protest,” the statement said. MindaNews had earlier registered its protest by refusing to comply with the restrictive rules and will cover the Presidential debate in Cagayan de Oro outside of the debate venue and the media center. L ast Monday, MindaNews editor in chief Carolyn O. Arguillas said participation in the Presidential debate “should not just mean in terms of numbers – number of reporters allowed in, etc.. it should also mean WHAT ISSUES are going to be debated upon and WHO DECIDES what these are? Will these be general national issues? Mindanao-specific issues like the Bangsamoro Peace Process, Lumad killings, mining, drought, etc…? Next month in Cebu, will Manila again decide what issues will be debated upon? If that’s how these “national”
debates are supposed to be done, then hold all rounds in Manila.” In their suit against Comelec Chair Bautista, Rappler said the poll chief has allegedly permitted GMA7 network to become “a de facto censor” to ensure its monopoly on the debate content. “We are convinced the benefits and advantages accorded the lead networks violate the Anti-Graft Law because they are unwarranted. They were granted to the lead networks without the benefit of any transparent or equitable process, certainly, no public bidding was conducted,” Rappler said. Rappler said together with other online news, it signed a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with Comelec for assurances that access to the debates will be granted. It said the Comelec did not honor the agreement. “Worse, the exclusive rights granted by the Comelec Chairman over a Comelec-organized event are now being used to infringe not only upon Rappler’s free press rights but upon those of our fellow reporters in Cagayan de Oro as well,” Rappler said on its on-line page. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
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media with suppressed resentment. We believe Mindanao media people know their handicaps; what hurts is their being rubbed in. The “condescension” and “discrimination” COPPI has complained of remind us of the 1960s and the decades after. The air of superiority showed especially in the demeanor of Manila-based journalists in the party of visiting high Manila officials. They monopolized the press interviews giving local newsmen little chance to shoot questions. Discrimination was most apparent in how Mindanao events were seen and treated by Manila editors. Mindanao events were usually insidepage stuff. Local correspondents of Manila papers would celebrate whenever their news reports hit Page One. It seemed to be the rule that Mindanao events had to be sensational to merit Page One, especially the Mororelated violence, disasters and kidnappings. Development news were rarely billed Page One. Mindanao was seen as land of troubles, not land of promise being fulfilled. What hogged Page One of Manila newspapers not just for days but sometimes for weeks and months? Let’s recall randomly – rat infestation of the mid-1950s; the Ilaga-Blackshirt atrocities of 1969 to 1971; the militaryMoro rebel battles; the all-out wars against the MILF – by President Joseph Estrada in 2000 and during the Arroyo administration in 2003 and 2008-09; the kidnappings, especially of foreign tourists and priests; and most recently, the Mamasapano debacle. There were many more. The Manila media are bi-
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ased against the Moros. They bannered in their front pages and featured in their opinion columns and editorials the cry for justice for the slaying of the 44 SAF commandoes in Mamasapano and the prosecution of MILF rebels and other Moros who participated in the battle against the 55th PNP-SAF Company. The 44 were killed in a legitimate battle they started wherein 17 MILF fighters were killed. Yet, their killing was considered a crime. The Manila media have joined the condemnation. How many Moro civilians have been killed unjustly by the military? For instance, in Datu Piang, Maguindanao in 2008 or 2009, a military helicopter killed an entire family fleeing in a motorized banca from their village being bombed. The tragic incident was published; but there was no cry from the Manila media for justice and prosecution of the helicopter crew. Discrimination most unfair showed in how Manila editors edited Mindanao stories to jibe with the say-so of Manila sources, like the military, suppressing and modifying facts or revising direct quotes. The local reporters or correspondents could only grumble or get red-faced when their sources confronted them about inaccuracies and misquotations. Last month, MILF peace panel chair Mohagher Iqbal complained that in a news report by-lined by a staff member of the Inquirer Mindanao Bureau he was quoted as saying what he had not said. And worst, he had not been interviewed for that report. We could only ask: Did the staff member, a Moro well known to Iqbal, make the report? Or did the Manila desk write the story rehashing earlier interviews with Iqbal to suit the government position in the stalled Mindanao peace process? The organizers reconsider COPPI was right and justified. The organizers heeded its indignation statement. According to a MindaNews report yesterday, GMA 7, lead organizer with Philippine Daily Inquirer, increased to 25 instead of five the number of local and Mindanao newspapers that will be in the 500-seat venue as part of the live audience of the debate. The COPPI will also do the accreditation. Thirteen slots will be given to the COPPI newspaper members, two slots for two major blogging groups in Cagayan de Oro, and the rest for newspapers from Davao City in the organizers’ list. “All’s well that ends well”, so the immortal Shakespearean quote goes. Can this be the beginning of the end of the history of Manila media’s discrimination against Mindanao media? (Next: Poe a Marcos?) (“Comment” is Mr. Patricio P. Diaz’ column for MindaViews, the opinion section of MindaNews. Mr. Diaz is the recipient of a “Lifetime Achievement Award” from the Titus Brandsma for his “commitment to education and public information to Mindanawons as Journalist, Educator and Peace Advocate. You may e-mail your comments to patpdiazgsc@ yahoo.com.)
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Mindanao Daily News, Sunday, February 21, 2016
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